Denied Life Insurance Benefits? We Can Help.
Our Experienced Life Insurance Attorneys Fight for Your Rights.
Have your life insurance benefits been wrongfully denied? Don’t face this battle alone. Our expert lawyers are here to help you claim what is rightfully yours.
Get a Free Consultation Now!
Call us today at [xxx-xxx-xxxx] or click below to start your fight for justice.
Denied Life Insurance Benefits? We Can Help.
Our Experienced Life Insurance Attorneys Fight for Your Rights.
Have your life insurance benefits been wrongfully denied? Don’t face this battle alone. Our expert lawyers are here to help you claim what is rightfully yours.
Get a Free Consultation Now!
Call us today at [xxx-xxx-xxxx] or click below to start your fight for justice.
How We Can Help You?
Denied Life Insurance Benefits?
We Can Help You Fight Back
If your life insurance claim has been wrongfully denied, delayed, or undervalued, our experienced life insurance attorneys are here to assist you. We specialize in holding insurance companies accountable, ensuring you receive the benefits you deserve during difficult times.
ERISA Life Insurance Claims
Federal and State Law Expertise
Was your life insurance purchased through your employer? These claims often fall under ERISA, a complex area of federal law. Our attorneys have the expertise to handle both state and ERISA-governed claims, fighting for your rights and benefits.
Why Was My Life Insurance Denied?
We Handle All Reasons for Denial
From misrepresentation to missed premiums, our legal team understands the tactics insurance companies use to deny claims. Let us evaluate your case and fight for the payout you’re entitled to.
Our Life Insurance Lawyers fight for you when your benefits our denied
Did an insurance company deny your life insurance benefits?
Did an insurance company deny your life insurance benefits? Our experienced attorneys have seen too many cases where the beneficiary of a life insurance policy gets a sudden and disheartening surprise. After a loved one passes away, the beneficiary files a claim for life insurance benefits and the company unexpectedly and improperly denies the claim. An unreasonable denial may be considered an act of insurance bad faith because the insurer put its own interests ahead of that of the policy beneficiary by withholding benefits that rightfully belonged to the policy beneficiary. An outright denial of benefits is not the only issue beneficiaries confront. An insurance company may also act in bad faith if it unfairly delays payment of a life insurance claim, pays less than is required by the terms of the policy, or pays the wrong beneficiary.
Our Life Insurance Attorneys Get Winning Results
Our attorneys understand that when your life insurance claim is denied, you face an unexpected battle at a time when you least need it. You should not have to be mired down in the legal details surrounding life insurance claims. Yet if you do not work with attorneys whom you trust, you may feel you cannot fully let go. The laws surrounding life insurance denials are complex and these cases require an experienced life insurance lawyer who has deep knowledge of both state and federal laws to successfully manage your case.
Life Insurance Lawyer
Did an insurance company deny your life insurance benefits?
Did an insurance company deny your life insurance benefits? Our experienced attorneys have seen too many cases where the beneficiary of a life insurance policy gets a sudden and disheartening surprise. After a loved one passes away, the beneficiary files a claim for life insurance benefits and the company unexpectedly and improperly denies the claim. An unreasonable denial may be considered an act of insurance bad faith because the insurer put its own interests ahead of that of the policy beneficiary by withholding benefits that rightfully belonged to the policy beneficiary. An outright denial of benefits is not the only issue beneficiaries confront. An insurance company may also act in bad faith if it unfairly delays payment of a life insurance claim, pays less than is required by the terms of the policy, or pays the wrong beneficiary.
Our Life Insurance Attorneys Get Winning Results
Our attorneys understand that when your life insurance claim is denied, you face an unexpected battle at a time when you least need it. You should not have to be mired down in the legal details surrounding life insurance claims. Yet if you do not work with attorneys whom you trust, you may feel you cannot fully let go. The laws surrounding life insurance denials are complex and these cases require an experienced life insurance lawyer who has deep knowledge of both state and federal laws to successfully manage your case.
State vs. Federal Life Insurance Laws
If the life insurance policy was purchased privately, then state law will govern any claim dispute. However, if the policy was purchased through your work, or provided as a benefit of the insured’s employment, then it is typically governed by federal law. (The law is the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, sometimes abbreviated as “ERISA.” The Federal laws governing employer provided life insurance differ significantly from State Law governed policies, and there are critical differences in how these claims must be contested. Only an experienced ERISA life insurance attorney will know the ins and outs of the law, and will therefore be able to properly protect your interests.
Many employers offer the option to purchase life insurance as a work benefit. If a policyholder purchased that policy through their employer, then a denial of life insurance benefits may be due to either the mistake of the insurance company, or mistakes made by the employer in procuring the insurance and making sure the proper steps were taken to avoid the insurance company from taking premiums, and then, after the insured has died, denying benefits. If the insurance company improperly denied the claim, or the employer failed to exercise due care in procuring insurance for your loved one, the law provides remedies to assure that policy beneficiaries receive the benefits they are owed. However, ERISA is a complex and confusing area of law, and ONLY an experienced ERISA/insurance lawyer will know how to properly protect your rights.
Life Insurance Claims Covered by ERISA Are Complicated
There are a number of steps involved with a life insurance claim dispute if the coverage was offered to employers on behalf of their employees, and insured via a group insurance policy. ERISA has several requirements that complicate the legal process. Once a life insurance claim is denied, you must appeal the claim within 60 days and cannot proceed with a lawsuit until after that appeal is filed. Moreover, only the information provided to the insurance company during this appeal period can be later used in Court to prove your claim. These rules were “supposed” to benefit the policy beneficiary by providing a method to resolve disputes before they went to Court.
However, insurance companies use these rules as traps for the unwary, and unless you have an experienced ERISA lawyer working on your behalf, you could lose your case before you even get started. It is one of the main reasons why fighting with an insurance company on your own is not likely to result in your getting paid.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your appeal, you can bring your case to court. In an ERISA case, your trial will be heard by a judge only, not a jury. Furthermore, as explained above, it is typical that the judge makes a determination based only on the information provided to the insurance company prior to the lawsuit being filed. There are many other elements to an ERISA case, and you can learn more about ERISA law here. Or you may speak with one of our ERISA attorneys about your denied life insurance claim.
Because there are many complex issues that can arise in the fight over a denied life insurance claim, it is best to work with a life insurance who understands every detail of your case.
Common Reasons for Life Insurance Claim Denials
Understanding the Key Factors That Can Lead to Denied Life Insurance Claims and How to Avoid Them
Material Misrepresentation
Insurance companies may deny a claim if the policyholder omitted or lied about critical health information on their application. Even minor mistakes can be used to deny a claim, but unless the misrepresentation is material to the risk, it may not be valid grounds for denial.
Post-Claim Underwriting
Insurance companies cannot wait until after a policyholder's death to investigate information that was available at the time the policy was issued. Denying a claim based on information that was not examined until after death is called post-claim underwriting and is not allowed.
Incontestability Period
If a policy has been in effect for more than two years, even intentional misrepresentations cannot be used to deny a claim. After this period, claims must be honored as long as premiums are paid.
Evidence of Insurability
A policyholder might be required to submit additional health information to prove they are insurable. If the insurer did not receive this information but continued to accept premiums, the company may still be required to pay the claim.
Lapse in Coverage
If premiums are not paid, the policy might lapse, leading to denial of a claim. However, failure to pay premiums may not always be the policyholder's fault. If the insurance company fails to provide proper notice of a lapse, they may still be required to pay the claim.
Suicide Exclusion
Some policies include a suicide exclusion for the first two years. If the policyholder commits suicide within this period, the claim may be denied. However, the insurance company must prove that the death was a suicide.
Inherently Dangerous Activity
If the policyholder died while engaging in a high-risk activity (e.g., skydiving, scuba diving), the claim may be denied based on an exclusion in the policy for inherently dangerous activities.
Group Policy Employment Issues
Denials can occur with group life insurance policies when the policyholder was not considered full-time or did not meet the eligibility requirements for coverage through their employer at the time of death.
Beneficiary Disputes
Competing claims from different beneficiaries, such as an ex-spouse and a current spouse, or the absence of a named beneficiary, can result in claim denials until the dispute is resolved.
What Our Clients Are Saying
Real Stories of Trust, Support, and Peace of Mind from Our Valued Policyholders
"James is amazing! I was so terrified when our life insurance sent me a cancellation notice when my husband had already been diagnosed with ALS. They had sent the renewal notice invoice to an old address – I won’t go into details but I was incredibly stressed, anxious, and terrified for my financial future when I called James. He called me back immediately and was so calming and reassuring. His team was responsive and handled all the details with the company for me. All the while reassuring me! We ended up winning our case with a little extra on top and they paid his fees also. This was a horrendous experience but if you need top-notch help, James and his team are unbeatable!"
J Ki
Life Insurance Beneficiary